1991 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Blanco Gran Reserva Rioja

Light gold. Explosively perfumed nose offers an array of citrus and orchard fruits, with exotic nuances of mace, chamomile and honey. Rich and deeply pitched but almost shockingly vibrant, offering spicy pear, nectarine and lemon pith flavors. Suavely blends richness and vivacity, finishing with excellent clarity and length. This should age at a snail's pace.
(10/ 2011)

93
points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 1991 Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva offers shaved almond, lemon rind, honeysuckle and dandelion on the well-defined nose that demands coaxing. The palate is crisp on the entry with dried honey, dried mango and citrus peel on the entry, fanning out towards a complex, resinous finish with a hint of rosewater on the aftertaste. Drink now-2020+
(8/ 2012)

93
points
Wine Spectator

This mature white shows traditional character of dried apple, lanolin, herb, toasted vanilla and waxy flavors. Light-bodied, but firm and balanced, with lively acidity and a finish of ginger and spices.
(9/ 2012)

Jancis Robinson

This famous Spanish relic was served alongside Ex Voto white Hermitage 2005 with tartiflette and was surprisingly like it in build! Same honey colour and full body. It had a bit more obvious acidity but was less obviously sweet. Viura plus a bit of Malvasia. Very complex and at its peak it was marvellous but it faded after 30 to 40 minutes in the glass. Justifiably celebrated. 18/20 points.
(2/ 2013)

K&L Notes

This is the current, stateside release of the incomparable, Gran Reserva white wine from R. Lopez de Heredia Viņa Tondonia, the classic standard bearer of quality, traditional Rioja produced in the same bodega founded by Rafael Lopez de Heredia y Landeta in the late 19th century. Composed of mainly old vine Viura with roughly 15% old vine Malvasia from the rotunda shaped Viņa Tondonia, this wine is fermented in decades old, huge oak "tinas" before being racked to old American oak barrels and aged for years prior to bottling, at which point it ages some more. They are in no rush to make this wine, just as you should be in no hurry to drink this amazing elixir (though I would rush to buy this; as demand has increased and supplies remain the same, the availability has decreased as prices have steadily inched upwards for these classic wines).

1991 Lopez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Blanco Gran Reserva Rioja

Wine Scores

Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.

Product Reviews:

This honeyed, glorious bottle of dry white wine amazed Cinnamon and I with its depth and intrigue. We drank it with el Salchichero pork rillettes from the Santa Cruz farmers market as an appetizer and the combo was excellent. The rillettes had a strong citrus element, and it mirrored the wine perfectly. If you are looking for a great treat, and love the magic that only age can bring to a wine, look no further!

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Other White Wines

Country:

Spain

- With more land under vine than any other country in the world, Spain is the great sleeping wine giant. In recent years, a great deal of money and passion has been poured in the burgeoning Spanish wine industry, helping to improve quality among its vast array of wines from sparkling Cava to Sherry to Rioja Gran Reserva. The most important red-wine-producing regions are Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Navarra in the north and Priorat and Penedes in the northeast.